Scale-beam and weight



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

I. RIGDON.

SCALE BEAM AND WEIGHT.

No. 302,590. Patented July 29, 1884.

NVENTO R (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. I. RIGDON.

SCALE BEAM AND WEIGHT.

N0. 302,590. Patented July 29, 1884.

MENTOR:

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(N0 Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. I. BIGDON.

SCALE BEAM AND WEIGHT. I

No. 302,590. I Patented July 29,1884.

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ISAAC RIGDON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO,

SCALE-BEAM AND WEIGHT.

ESPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 302,590, dated July29,

Application filed August 1, 1883. (No modcl.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, lsAAo RIGDON, of the city of Cincinnati, in thecounty of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Scale-Beams and WVeights, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to scale-beams having a weight sliding thereon; andits principal objects are to provide a sliding weight that will bedurable and accurate, easy of movement, and self-locking in action.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1is an elevation of a scale-beam and weights illustrating my in vention,and supported on an appropriate standard. Fig. 2 is an enlargedtransverse sectional elevation, the section being taken at the line a: xof Fig. 1, and looking toward the left in said figure, showing thepreferred form of weight. Fig. 3 represents a transverse section throughthe weight and the beam upon which it is supported and upon which itslides. Fig. 4 is a top view of the carriage, which is the directsupport of the weight. Fig. 5 is an end view, and Fig. 6 is a side view,of the preferred form of carriage, the rollers shown in Fig. 4 beingomitted. Figs. 7, 8, ,9, and 10 represent a modification of'myinvention. Fig. 11 is afront view of the index-finger of the weight.

A is the scale-beam, which is fulcrumed by knife-edge bearings in anappropriate support in the usual manner. The long arm of this scale-beamconsists of the index-beam A and the heavy-weight beam a, the lower edgeof the index-beam A being provided with an index for the heavy weight,and the upper edge of said beam being provided with an index for thefractional weight. The upper edge of the beam at is V-shaped, as shownin the drawings, and on this beam is the weight B. This weight B,however, does not rest directly on the beam a, but rests upon acarriage, B, which latter rests on the upper edge of the beam a. Thiscarriage B consists of the sides I) and ends I), and is open at the topand bottom, and is preferably provided at each end with rollers G,turning loosely on shafts or axles passing from one side I) to theother. The roller at each end of the carriage may consist of a solidroller having a V- shaped peripheral groove, as shown in Fig. 9; or eachroller may consist of two halves, each half formed in the shape of thefrustum of a cone, and placed side by side, as shown in Fig. 4. Ineither event the peripheral groove in the rollers coincides in shapewith the V- shaped edge of the weight beam a. The weight B is hollowedout interiorly, as shown, forming a chamber, 1), in which the carriage Bis located. At each end of the carriage B is a V-shaped lug or trunnion,b, projecting from the ends of the carriage, the edges of these lugsbeing uppermost. The ends of the chamber D in the weight B are partlyclosed by downwardlyextending ends (I, which ends rest on the lugs Z) ofthe carriage, as shown in Fig. 2, and these lugs I) thus form thesupport for the weight. The chamber D in the weight is somewhat widerthan the carriage B, and the lower faces of the ends at represent intransverse section the form of an angle, and the angle is somewhat moreobtuse than the angle made by the top of the knifeedge lugs b.Consequently the weight may be slightly rotated laterally on said lugs,so that the index-point of the weight may be made to come away from andclear of the in dcX-beam, and the weight be readily moved along the saidindex-beam. 'is located a little to one side of the longitudinal centerof the weight, and the bearingpoints of the weight on the lugs b arethus at one side of the center, and the side (1 of the weight is heavierthan the side (2 as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

The chamber D 4 On the top of the weight B is a pointer or index-finger,D, the upper free end of which is provided with the oppositely-beveledbearing-surfaces l and 2, each beari1ig-surface1ooking toward an end ofthe weight, and the top end, Z, of the finger is inclined toward theheavy side d of the weight, and is preferably provided with a narrowflat face, 4that is, the beveled faces 1 and 2 are preferably notextended upward to a sharp point. The object of having this flat face 4.is that there is no sharp edge to touch the bottom of the notches in theindeybeam, and therefore the true bearings 1 and 2 of the index-fingerwill, when in the beam-notch, always lie accurately against the truebearing-surfaces of said notches, and therefore the pointer will alwaysaccuratel y indicate. The lower edge of the in dex-beam A is providedwith the V-shaped notches c, the sides of the latter correspond ing tothe bevel of the bearingsuriaces 1 and 2 of the index-finger and thebottom of the notches, and the inclination 1i preferably correspondingto the inclination of the llltlOXfilP ger. Outside of and between thenotches the lower portion of the side of the index-bea1n, which facesthe preferred direction in which the pointer enters the notches, ispreferably inclined that is, is provided with a bevel, l l. Thisinclination 14. of the scale-beam facilifates the admission of theindex-finger D to the notches, and also the removal of said finger fromsaid notches, and also facilitates the moving of the index-finger withweight along the scale-beam. \Vhen the weight is in position on the beamc, the sided beingheavicr than the side (F, the pointer D is constantlyheld in contact with the beam A until it is rotated or tilted by theopera-tor, and this excess of weight on one side, in connection with thebeveled faces of the notches and of the pointer, causes the weight to beaccurately adjusted longitudinally on the beam. Both sides of the beam Aare preferably provided with an index, to enable the operator to readthe weight from either side of the beam, and preferably at each side ofthe weight B is 2. handle, E, by which the weight may be tilted andmoved longitudinally on the beam. As the weight I; is movedlongitut'linally on the beam (it, there is no wear on the weight, as itdoes not come in direct contact with the beam, resting as it does onthelugs b of the carriage, which latter moves alongthe beam, the rollersG permitting a free and easy movement of the carriage, and at all timeskeeping it in accurate position on the beam.

As before stated, I prefer to employ the roller 0; but for light scalesthese rollers may be dispensed with and the ends I) of the earriage beprovided with V-shaped notches 0, (see Fig. 5,) which notches are shapedto accurately lit the il -shaped upper edge of the beam (1 along whichthe cz'irriage will slide. In the present instance I have shown alightweight beam, (1 provided with a sliding weight, 13, which engageswith the upper edge of the index-beam A, said upper edge being providedwith a fractional index .reprcsentin one hundred pounds, and the notchesc, with which the weight B engages, each represent one hundred pounds.It will be obvious, however, that in smaller and lighter scales thenotches c may represent any desired quantityas, i'orinstance, pounds andthe index for the weight B may represent ounces, or the light weight 1and its beam may be entirely omitted, the lower edge being divided, asdesired. The notches c and the upper end of the pointer being shaped asaloredeseribcd, the pointer will accurately seat itself in the notches,and the weight 13 will thus be moved to the exact position required.

I have hereinbefore described the weight I; as being so supported as totilt on an axis parallel to the beam a; but, ifprelerred, it may besupported, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, so that it will tilt on an axis atright angles to said beam.

The V-shaped lugs I), instead of projecting from the ends of thecarriage 13, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, project from its sides, asin Figs. 8, 9, and 10. In this instance the chamber Gis located directlyin the longitudinal center of the weight B, and in the weight at eitherside of the chamber is formed a recess, F, the bottoms of these recessesF, when the weight is in position, resting on the V-shaped lugs b asshown in Figs .lhcse recesses are preferably not placed in thetransverse center of the weight, but are located. nearer to that end ofthe weight which carries the index-finger than to the other end, thus1nal ing, when the weight is resting on the lugs I), a heavy portion, d,and a lighter portion, d, as in the weight shown in Fig. 3. In theweight shown in Fig. 7 the pointer ID is connected to the upper side ofthe lighter end, (P, of the weight, and is adapted to engage with thenotches in the bottom of the index-imam A, as shown in Fig. '7, theheavy end, (1/, of

the weight at all times tending to lceep the pointer in contact withsaid indexbeam. When the weight is formed as just dcscriluul, the end ofthe pointer 1) and the notches :in the lower edge of theindex-beam, withwhich said pointer engages, are preierably :l'ormed as shown in Fig. 7,one side only of the end of the pointer being beveled, the other sidebeing straight, and adapted to rest against the straight side of thenotches, the opposite sides of said notches being adapted to engage thebeveled portion of the end of the pointer, and thus hold the straightface of said pointer against the straight face of the notch. \Vhen thisweight to be moved on the beam, the lighter end, (F, is depressed, andthis movement disengages the pointer 1) from the notches in the indexbeam, as shown by dot ted lines in Fig. 7, and the weight can then bemoved to the desired point on the beam.

lVhile the various features of my invention are preferably employedtogether, one or more of them may be employed without the remainder,and, when desired, one or more of said features may, so far asapplicable, be em. ployed in connection with other descriptionsofscale-beams than those herein specifically mentioned.

What I claim as new and of my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-- 1. A weight for scale-beams, consisting cl a main bodysupported on a carriage adapted to move on the beam, the weight beingsup ported on V-shaped lugs projecting horizon- IlCJ 7 tally from theopposite ends of the carriage,

and adapted to tilt on said lugs, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

2. The weight B, having an interior chamber, D, for the reception of thecarriage B, the latter adapted to rest on the scale-beam and providedwith V-shaped lugs b projecting horizontally from the opposite ends ofthe carriage, upon which the weight B rests and may be tilted,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

8. The weight B, having an interior chamber, D, in combination with thecarriage B, having V-shaped lugs b projecting horizontally from theopposite ends of the carriage, and upon which the weight B is adapted torest, the carriage B being provided with rollers 0, provided withperipheral V shaped grooves, shaped to fit the upper edge of thescale-beam, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The weight B, having an interior chamber, D, locatedat one side ofthe longitudinal center of the weight, in combination with the carriageB, having V-shaped lugs b projecting from the ends thereof, the weightresting on said lugs, and adapted to tilt thereon without any contactwith the beam a, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. A weight for scale-beams, supported at one side of its longitudinalcenter and capable of tilting on such supports, said weight beingprovided with a pointer adapted to engage with an indexbeam, the end ofsaid pointer being V-shaped and beveled toward the heavy side of theweight, and the edge of the index-beam being beveled on the side towardsaid pointer, and provided with V- shaped notches for receiving the endof the pointer, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

6. The combination of the weight B, provided with indeX-fingcr havingthe oppositelybeveled bearing-surfaces 1 and 2 and the inclined top Z,said surfaces and top being inclined downward toward the index-beam, andsaid beam provided with notches, substantially as and for the purposesspecified.

7. A weight for scale-beams,having an indeX-finger, as D,having theoppositely-beveled bearing-surfaces 1 and 2 and the inclined top Z, incombination with the index-beam, provided with notches, substantially asdescribed, for reception of the index-finger, substantially as and forthe purposes specified.

8. The weight B, provided with an indexfinger, D, having thebearing-surfaces 1 and 2 and'inclined top Z, said surfaces and top beinginclined downward toward the indexbeam, and the index-beam A,havinginclined lower edge, 14, provided with notches e, the side of the beambeing provided with bevel 14, and the notches 6, corresponding ininclination to the inclination of the top of the index-finger,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

9. The weight B, provided with ind6X-fi1lger D, havingoppositely-beveled bearingsurfaces 1 and 2, and the fiat inclined top 4,in combination with the index-beam A, having notches e, substantially asand for the purposes specified.

10. The weight B, provided with index-finger D, havingoppositely-beveled bearingsurfaces 1 and 2 and the fiat inclined top 4,in combination with the index-beam A, having notches e and inclinedlower side, 14, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

11. The weight B, provided with an indexfinger, D, having thebearing-surfaces 1 and 2 and fiat inclined top 4, said surfaces and topbeing inclined downward toward the index-beam, and the index-beam A,having in clined lower edge, 14, provided with notches e, the side ofthe beam being provided with bevel 14 and thenotches 0, corresponding ininclination to the inclination of the top of the index-finger,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

12. A scale-beam provided with notches, each narrowing toward itsbottom, and an indeX-finger having a fiat end, the edges of the saidfiat end, when the finger is in a notch of the beam, being in contactwith the sides of the notch and out of contact with the bottom of thesaid notch, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

13. The weight B for scalebeams, consisting of a main body supported ona carriage adapted to ,move on the beam, the weight be ing supported byand adapted to tilt on hori-' zontal V-shaped lugs projectinghorizontally beyond the vertical plane of the surface of the carriage,substantially as and for the purposes specified.

lSAAC RIGDON.

WVitnesses:

J. WM. STREHLI, WALTER CHAMBERLIN.

